Writing a book? Try selling them

When I first started writing The Moon and Stars, my debut novel, I had an MA in Creative Writing, but no real knowledge of the book trade. I’m a fan of creative writing courses, and studying for my MA was a wonderful experience. But as a first-time author, running an independent bookshop has given me an insight into the business side of the book industry. I feel this has been a great privilege for me as a writer, as it allowed me a glimpse "behind the scenes" which I don’t think I would have had otherwise.

Firstly, it has given me a writing community of like-minded authors, particularly those based locally. Over the years, I have met many authors who have written all kinds of books and published their work in all sorts of ways. Some are traditionally published, while others have gone down the self-publishing route. So many of these authors offered advice when I mentioned that I also loved writing and wished to be published. The writing community I have met is generous and friendly, and I believe I might have given up without the encouragement and support of some of these authors. It also gave me a sense of perspective when I thought I would never get published. Sometimes, in a world with so many celebrity authors, it can be easy to forget that "ordinary people" do get published too. Running a bookshop meant that these ordinary, hardworking, passionate authors were all around me. I feel very lucky in this respect.

Running the bookshop has taught me to think commercially, and while this has been incredibly useful in all sorts of ways, it also has its downside

It has also taught me that there is room for all kinds of books in the world. A few years ago, when I was submitting an earlier draft of my novel to agents, a very kind, encouraging agent mentioned that books about musicians could be tricky to sell. This surprised me, as Daisy Jones and the Six had just been published, and I was passionately hand selling it in my own shop. I was sure there was an audience for a book about performers. A writer friend suggested that Daisy Jones might be a rare exception to the rule, but even so, I thought it was worth persevering with my own book about a musician. As a bookseller, I had seen certain genres and subjects fall in and out of fashion. Perhaps it wasn’t quite the right time for my book, but my bookselling experience meant I knew that could change in the future.

Running the bookshop has taught me to think commercially, and while this has been incredibly useful in all sorts of ways, it also has its downside. I’m used to fitting books into defined genres and on specific shelves. I began to obsess a bit about the genre of my novel. Was it a romance? Should I rewrite it as YA? Was it commercial or literary? Of course, so many novels bridge these genres, but I found it hard to focus on this fact at the time. When you’re used to thinking in business-like categories, it can be hard to follow your creative instincts and just let the words flow.

My novel has found a wonderful home at Oxford-based independent publisher Fairlight Books. I’m delighted that my book is part of such an exciting, eclectic list of titles. I think both indie bookshops and indie publishers do this really well: they champion new writers, and books that don’t always neatly "fit". They take chances. I’m so glad they took a chance on me, an unknown writer from Teesside. 

At the time of writing, it’s a month until my publication date. I’m in the privileged and slightly surreal position of being able to promote my own book through my own bookshop. I’m currently finalising details for launch activity in the shop. This feels like a strange turn of events, after hosting launches for other authors. There’s a huge amount of joy in finally being able to chat to my customers and writer friends about my book, and to plan my own window display.

If the opportunity presented itself, would I leave bookselling to concentrate on writing full time? This is something I do ponder occasionally. I know that many full-time writers do not spend their entire working lives writing novels and short stories. They provide mentoring services, run courses, and write freelance articles. And while I might enjoy those things, I think bookselling is a perfectly logical alternative. Even though I’m not a full-time writer, I’m still working with books and gaining insight and connections in the industry through my day job. Aside from anything else, it’s helpful to spend so much time talking to customers about their reading preferences and favourite books.

So if you’re a writer who would like a glimpse into the book world, I highly recommend spending some time working in a bookshop if you can. It has definitely helped me. Maybe it will help you, too.